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WOMC-News308 2/12/08 4:15 PM Page 1 NEWS FROM WINE OF THE MONTH CLUB Since 1972 March 2008 Wines evaluated last month: 279 Rejected: 259 Approved: 20 Selected: 8 What’s New arch goes flavors, perfect with This Month? in like a roast meats and hard lion, out cheeses. see page 2 like a Mlamb. This month’s LIMITED SERIES Send Us Your wines will suit all e-mail Address! the moods and menus Rocca Di Sodone, 2002. Chianti Classico, Tuscany send to: of March. [email protected] Rocca di Sodone has REGULAR SERIES emerged again with an award-winning Chianti, Is this cool or what? Yellow Bird, 2006. Chardonnay, and we are thrilled to LOG ONTO California share it with you. This is www. special wine for drinking wineofthemonthclub.com From a legendary now but it will also keep in and click on history of great wine- your cellar. “Live Help” and you will making, comes this be connected right here food-friendly and Ashford Court, 2005. to one of our delicious Chardonnay. Chardonnay, Los Membership Service Reps! Always a favorite, Carneros, California this Yellow Bird This wine shows why Los Chardonnay is a sure Carneros is known for its Gift Assortments fire winner. delicious Chardonnay. No see page 9 PKNT, 2005. Merlot, cellar is complete without Central Chile a great Chardonnay, and New Member this is it. Application From the central region for a Friend of Chile, this Merlot is made with fruit- see page 15 forward and jammy INSIDE THIS MONTH WINEOFTHEMONTH CLUB NEWS 1 ORDER FORMS 7–10 WHAT’S NEW?2UPCOMING EVENTS 11 REG. CHARDONNAY, 2006. YELLOW BIRD 3 MEMBER COMMENTS 12 REG. MERLOT, 2005. PKNT 4 ADVENTURES IN GOOD FOOD 13 LTD. CHIANTI CLASSICO, 2002. ROCCA DI SONDONE 5 REGULAR & LTD TASTING NOTES 11, 14 LTD. CHARDONNAY, 2005. ASHFORD COURT 6 WORD ON THE STREET 16 Join us on the Web: www.WineoftheMonthClub.com WOMC-News308 2/12/08 4:15 PM Page 2 A NOTE WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH? FROM YOUR CELLARMASTER I am sort of a "feet first" kind of person. I consider myself fairly logical and with some common sense. I analyze data and try to make good decisions. Often I will still do what my gut says in the face of what the data might suggest. Though I don't get the opportunity to speak to all of you, I do speak to some of you on occasion (my phone line Paul Kalemkiarian is always open for members to call) and I have accumulated some great ideas and thoughts to Here we go folks. I am just better serve the membership. So starting this excited about what is month you will see some changes. Most notably in happening here… come this newsletter you will see a 100-point Wine of the along for the ride. You are Month Club rating scale (see page 11 for the rating going to enjoy it! descriptions). One comment I have always made about the 100-point ratings that are out there is that Salud! they don't depend on their ability to rate wines to sell them. In other words, they just rate, I have to rate and choose. If I don't choose well, I won't stay in business! So, it is with great pleasure that we Paul Kalemkiarian release our 100-point scale to you. As well, you will soon be able to look up each and every wine that we taste. So if you are interested in seeing what we have tasted and what we liked and didn't like, it will all be online. I can keep writing about all the great changes we are making... but one at a time. Membership in THE WINE OF THE MONTH CLUB is open to anyone with an interest in and an appreciation for superb wines... and excellent wine values. Membership is FREE. For more info write: WINE OF THE MONTH CLUB P.O. Box 660220, Arcadia, CA 91066 Or call: 1-800-949-WINE (9463) or (626) 303-1690 FAX: (626) 303-2597 Visit us at: www.WineoftheMonthClub.com Newsletter written by: Elizabeth Schweitzer, Master Sommelier 2 1-800-949-WINE • www.wineofthemonthclub.com WOMC-News308 2/12/08 4:15 PM Page 3 DOMESTIC SELECTION ellow Bird Winemaker Harry Parducci Chardonnay is is a third generation member the latest success of one of Sonoma Valley’s Y story from Adler pioneering winemaking Fels Winery. families. His grandfather Adler Fels was founded in established Valley of the 1979 by David and Ayn Moon Winery in 1939. Coleman. They very quickly His experience covers over established the winery as a thirty years of making wines producer of award-winning at Valley of the Moon, wines from Sonoma County. Kenwood, and Chateau Most success stories are Diana. Harry oversees the based on a creative and grape harvest, winemaking, pioneering spirit and Adler blending, and bottling. He is 2006 Fels is no exception. David knowledgeable, talented, implemented innovations and experienced, yet he’s Yellow Bird that would become industry open to new ideas. standards. He created the Chardonnay first gold foil label used Yellow Bird Chardonnay (shar-doe-nay) on his wine bottles. He is Harry Parducci’s latest invented the adjustable top innovative project. This California fermentation tank, which is Chardonnay is sourced from now used throughout the some of his finest vineyards Color: in California. It’s styled to be industry. He was also the Bright golden yellow first to make custom labels drinker-friendly, fresh, and and allow his customers to versatile. The color is a Nose: make custom blends. The bright gold yellow. The Fresh tropical, green philosophy then is the same nose is clean and fresh with apple, pear, citrus as it is now: “To grow up-front tropical fruit, green and make great wines from apple, pear, and citrus. The Palate: the best grapes possible, flavors are clean and bright Crisp acidity, to establish long-term with lush tropical fruit, crisp full-bodied, lush, relationships with growers, acidity, and a lingering tropical fruit and to serve the customers.” finish. This recipe will be The winery clings to a core perfect with pasta, salads, Finish: belief: “To produce well- and baked polenta. (Try our Lingering finish balanced, elegant wines with recipe on page 13.) Enjoy! intense varietal character, and to deliver them at great values to the trades and WOMC Rating the consumer.” 88 Points CELLARING SUGGESTIONS 308A Retail Price: $11.99/each Special Member Price: $8.99/each Drink now Reorder Price: $6.99/each through 2008 42% Discount $83.88/case 1-800-949-WINE • www.wineofthemonthclub.com 3 WOMC-News308 2/12/08 4:15 PM Page 4 IMPORTED SELECTION entral Chile is and knowledgeable wine- home to most of maker. Not only is he known the country’s for making award-winning C population. The wines such as his Merlot, capital city, Santiago, is in Sauvignon Blanc, and central Chile, and the area is Chardonnay but also for his the heart of the country’s charity work and sense of economic, political, and humor. The name of his cultural life. The region is 2005 Merlot should give you blessed with natural beauty. a chuckle. Pknt is a play The Andes Mountains are a on the word picante, which spectacular backdrop to a is Spanish for spicy. Alex land stretching to the Pacific wants this wine to spice up 2005 Ocean. The air is crisp and your mealtime. You’ll have PKNT clean. The weather is ideal a few delicious comments Merlot for winegrowing with hot about this Merlot once you (mare-low) summers, cool falls, and taste it. mild, short winters. Central Valley The wine pours a dark Chile Winemaking began with the purple color. The nose is Spanish Conquistadors in Color: engaging with soft plum, red Dark purple the 16th century. At first, the berry fruit, and just a slight wines were simple table Nose: hint of oak. It is medium- Soft plum, berry wines. Today’s wines bodied and juicy with fruit from Chile are exquisite, flavors of ripe black fruit, Palate: well-made, and a good value and round with soft tannins. Medium-bodied, for consumers. juicy black fruit, soft The finish is lingering. Pair tannins Winemaker Alex Rubio this Merlot with baked Finish: travels throughout the ham, pasta with meat sauce, Juicy long finish United States and Europe and beef stew. promoting his and other WOMC Rating Chilean wines. He is a gifted 85 Points CELLARING SUGGESTIONS 308B Retail Price: $12.99/each Special Member Price: $10.49/each Drink now Reorder Price: $7.99/each through 2010 39% Discount $95.88/case 4 1-800-949-WINE • www.wineofthemonthclub.com WOMC-News308 2/12/08 4:15 PM Page 5 IMITED ERIES L S SELECTION hianti is Italy’s cherries with a hint of toast. most famous At Rocca di Sodone they wine. Some of us believe that great wines are C may remember born in the vineyard, but it is the old days, when it was in the cellar that they mature popular for its basket-bottle, and develop their individual which, when empty, became character. They have a candle holder. These 2002 installed a modern “vat hall” bottles are still readily for their stainless steel Rocca di available for old times sake, fermentations and it’s all Sodone but Chianti has come a long computerized. This is an way, baby. These wines have Chianti ancient cellar with ultra- improved immensely in the Classico modern technologies.